Machine for filling cartons



1967 H. PAAL ETAL %33,395

MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTONS Filed Oct. 5, 1963 CS Sheets-Sheet l Fl G 4ATTORNEY Aug. 1, 1967 H. PAAL ETAL & 3

MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTONS Filed Oct. 5, 1963 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS HANS PAAL i HELMUTH ZIM ERMANN FI G 2. BY

ATTORNEY 1957 H. PAAL ETAL &333396 MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTONS FiledOct. 5. 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiG.7

INVENTORS HAN S PA AL BY HELMUTH ZMMERMANN ATTORNEY United StatesPatent'O 3,333,396 MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTONS Hans Paal and HelmuthZimmermann, Waiblingen, Germany, assignors to Fr. Hesse-Masch'nenfabrik, A.G., Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany, a corporationFiled Oct. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 313565 20 Claims. (CI. 53-252) Thisinvention relates generally to a packaging machine and, moreparticularly, to a segment thereof employed for automatically fillingcartons with longitudinally extending objects such as macaroni.

One of the broad objects of this nvention is to provide a machine forfilling cartons in which weighed quantities of macaroni, spaghetti, orsimilar brittel goods can be packed into folding cartons or boxes in afully automatic manner and with more care than heretofore possible.

Another object of this invention is to provide a packaging machinehaving a high degree of Operating efficiency, a high work rate, andbeing particularly adapted to fill the cartons to maximum Capacity.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine for fillingcartons, which is of simple Construction and readily accessible formaintenance.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a container,constituting part of the machine in accordance with this invention,adapted to facilitate the loading, aligning and packing of the goods ina unique manner and to protect the contents thereof in case ofmalfunction of the machine, and in which` the critical surfaces of thecontainer are not exposed to or come in contact With the brittlematerial to be packed.

Another more specific object of this invention is to provide as part ofthe packaging machine a feeding `mechanism which longitudinally alignsthe brittle goods and discharges them into the container in this stateto facilitate filling the carton to maximum capacity and to simplify anysubsequent alignment or leveling requirement.

Briefly, an aspect of the present invention resides in the provision ofa ackaging machine for filling cartons which includes a first endlessconveyor arrangement, longitudinally extended and constructed andarranged to move articles or goods of the type heretofore mentioned. Aplurality of receptacles for receiving empty boxes or cartons are spacedlongitudinally along and Secured to the first endless conveyorarrangement. There is also provided a second endless conveyorarrangement disposed substantially parallel to the first conveyor, thefirst and the second conveyors are both adapted to move at substantiallythe same speed and in a common direction. A plurality of containers arecarried on the second conveyor and are spaced longitudinally thereon atsubstantially the `same distance as said receptacles are spaced on thefirst conveyor and are aligned therewith transversely to the directionof travel. A feeding station is disposed above the second conveyor in anoperative proximity to the containers for sequentially filling same.And, finally, a plunger is carried in each of the containers and ismovable therein to position the contents of the containers into thecartons in a predetermined sequence.

Another aspect of the present invention resides in the provision of apackaging machine for filling cartons which includes a first endlessconveyor arrangement, longi- V tudinally extended and constructed andarranged to move articles or goods of the type heretofore mentioned. Aplurality of receptacle for receiving empty boxes or cartons are spacedlongitudinally along and Secured to the first endless conveyorarrangement. There is also provided a second endless conveyorarrangement disposed substantially parallel to the first conveyor, thefirst 3,333,396 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 and the second conveyors are bothadapted to move at substantially the same speed and in a commondirection. A plurality of containers are carried on the second conveyorand are spaced longitudinally thereon at substantially the same distanceas said receptacles are spaced on the first conveyor and are alignedtherewith transversely to the direction of travel. A feeding station isdisposed above the second conveyor in an operative proximity to thecontainers for sequentially filling same. There is also disposed aplunger, which includes a thrust body and a first coupling memberSecured to the thrust body, in each of the containers. The plunger has across-sectional area which is substantially the same as thecorresponding cross-sectional-area of the container. These plungers areslidably disposed in the containers for moving the contents thereof intothe carton in a predetermined manner. A 'third endless conveyorarrangement is also longitudinally extended and disposed parallel to theother conveyors and adapted to travel at the same speed and in adirection common to both conveyors. Finally, a push rod assembly ismovably carried on the third conveyor. The push rod includes a secondcoupling member which is connectable to the first coupling member tolink the `plunger and the push rod when the container is in a positioncoextensive to the third conveyor. The first and second coupling membersare constructed and arranged to automatically disengage When thecontainer on the second conveyor departs 'from the coextensive positionWith respect to the third conveyor.

A further aspect to the present invention resides in the provision of apackaging machine for filling cartons which includes a first endlessconveyor arrangement, longitudinally extended and constructed andarranged to move articles or goods of the type heretofore mentioned. Aplurality of receptacles for receiving empty boxes or cartons are spacedlongitudinally along and Secured to the first endless conveyorarrangement. There is also provided a second endless conveyorarrangement disposed substantially parallel to the first conveyor, thefirst and the second conveyors are both adapted to move at substantiallythe same speed and in a common direction. A plurality of containers arecarried on the second conveyor and are spaced longitudinally thereon atsubstantially the same distance as said receptacles are spaced on thefirst conveyor and are aligned therewith transversely to the directionof travel. A feeding station above' the second conveyor includes adevice for measuring the objects as well as for algning the objectsprior to discharge into the containers on the second conveyor. Thealigning device is positioned above the containers and includes a drumhaving two radially arranged and oppositely located chambers which arearranged to sequentially register with the containers for receiving andultimately discharging the objects. One of the purposes of this drum isto longitudinally align the objects in the chamber. This is accomplishedby means of pistons disposed within the chambers and axially movedtherein by means of a cam and cam follower arrangement which form partof the aligning and discharging device.

For a better Understanding of the present invention, together with otherand further objects thereof, reference is had to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and itsscope will be pointed out in the appended clairns.

In the drawings: j

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal View shown partly in section of a machine forfilling cartons in accordance with this invention; and p FIGURE 2 is aplan view of the machine illustrated in FIGURE 1; and

&333396 FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a container; and

FIGURE 4 is an end View of the container according to FIGURE 3 withportions of a push rod shown in section; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View of the push rod and a plunger taken alongline 5-5 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal View shown in section taken along line 6-6 ofFIGURE 8 of an aligning and feeding mechanism; and

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the drum shown in FIG- URE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the device according to FIGURE 6,taken along line 8 -8 of FIG- URE 6.

Reterring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, there are shown three endlessconveyors 10, 12 and 14 of the double chain type, suitably supported anddisposed parallel to each other. The longitudinally extending conveyorsare caused to move at the same speed and in a common direction by meansof conventional equipment including a motor 11 coupled to a drive unit13. Movement is imparted to the conveyors by gear chains 15 and 17 whichconnect gears 19 and 21 mounted on the transmission shaft 13a to gearsmounted proximate to the conveyor chain, only one of which, see 23, isshown.

The first conveyor 10 carries plurality of receptacles 16 longitudinallyspaced along the conveyor 10 and securely mounted thereto. Thereceptacles are U shaped and formed with open ends and are adapted toreceive, sequentially, from a stack 18, folding cartons 20, which areopened and placed into the receptacles, and thereafter filled with goodsof the type here under consideration, and closed and transported to theend of the system. This invention relates primarily to the fillingaspect of the packaging machine and, hence, reference to other parts ofthe machine has been limited to those desirable for ease of descriptionand understanding.

The middle or second conveyor 12 carries a plurality of containers 22which are securely mounted to the chains of the conveyor and spacedlongitudinally thereon at substantially the same distance as thereceptacles on conveyor 10 and aligned therewith in a directiontransverse to the direction of travel of the conveyors. The containers22 are adapted to receive the packing goods, such as longitudinallyextending objects eg. macaroni which are pre-weighed or measured bymeans of a scale 24, or other well known devices, and axially alignedprior to discharge into the containers 22 as hereinafter furtherdescribed.

Each container 22 is in cross-section, see FIGURE 4, generally U shapedthus forming a top opening 22a. The container is composed of a back sidewall 26 and front side wall 28, the latter facing in the direction oftravel of the conveyors, but is without end walls. The back side wall 26extends vertically to a certain height, parallel to the front side wall28 and then bends slightly inward and thereafter swings in the oppositedirection, i.e. angularly outward to broaden the opening of thecontainer.

Disposed horizontally between the walls and Secured to the front sidewall 28 is a cover 30 to close opening 22a. The cover is hinged to wall28, thus facing in the direction of travel of the conveyors, by means oftwo arms 34 welded to the cover and at the opposite end the arms aremounted about a bar, 33, Suspended on eyelets 35, about which the armscan rotate, providing an axis of rotation external to the container 22.The bar 33 receives two torsion springs 36 which engage the arms 33forcing them downwardly to maintain the container in noi'- mally openposition. In this open position the cover is contiguous to the side wall28 and forms a vertical eX- tension thereof. The two walls combinedprovide a funnel-like opening into the container. In closing thecontainer, the cover facilitates an alignment of the goods, eg., themacaronies, and slightly presses them together so that they fit neatlyinto the container and do not protrude outward. Preferably, the coversurface 32 facng the interior of the container is for this purposeformed with a slight concave curvature.

In order to avoid that food particles, or the like, get caught betweenthe cover and the front wall, the upper portion of the front wall 28 iscurved outwardly forming a protective surface over eyelets 35.

To automatically close the covers, there is provided a stationary guiderail 38, see FIGURE 1, which engages a roller 40 rotatably mounted oneach cover 30 and presses the cover downward against the tension ofspring 36 to close the container and maintain it closed. The guide rail38 begins to engage the roller 40 while the container is being filled,as hereafter further described, see 38a FIG. URE 1, and maintains thisengagement until the container is above a catch basin 42 located rightbelow the lower part of the conveyor 12. The catch basin 42 serves toreceive those goods which were not packed into a carton 20 eitherthrough some mechanical failure or a lack of cartons.

The containers 22 each carry a plunger mechanism 44 which is slidablydisposed therein to move transversely to the direction of travel of theconveyors. The mechanism 44 has a cross-section very similar to theconfiguration defined by the container to prevent thin objects fromgetting lodged between the plunger and the interior walls of thecontainer.

The plunger mechanism is essentially a solid trust body 44 and includesa coupling member 50, see FIGURES 3 and 4, composed of a verticallyextending plate arranged at the outer end and spaced slightly relativeto the thrust body of the plunger 44, see FIGURE 5. The bottom portionthereof is formed with a triangular cut out, see FIGURE 4. The couplingplate 50 may be simply screwed to the plunger as shown.

The plunger mechanism is axially displaced or moved within the containerby a longitudinally extending push rod 46, see FIGURE 2. The push rod ismovably mounted in a slide 48 secured to the third conveyor 14. Theslides' 48 permit the push rod to move transversely with respect totravel of the conveyors.

The opposite end of the push rod 46 may be deemed to constitute a secondcoupling member adapted for thrust engagement with the first couplingmember 50 of plunger 44. The former is composed of a longitudinalextension terminating with a collar 54. The collar is, in engagementposition, firrnly locked between the plate 50 and plunger 44, see FIGURES.

The push rod is locked into engagement with the plunger, for moving sametoward the center of the container when the container and the push rodenter on the conveyor the horizontal section from the turn section, see466: in FIG- URE 1. The collar 54 gradually interposes itself betweenthe plate 50 and plunger where the collar becomes firrnly seated andcentered when the 'horizontal movement begins. Conversely, the membersare disengaged when the push rod completes its lower horizontal run andbegins to enter the left hand turn as shown in FIGURE 1, see 46b whilecontainer and plunger continues to move horizontally. It is obvious, ofcourse, that the container and the push rod must be aligned on the twoconveyors in the direction transverse to the direction of travel of theconveyor-s for such engagement to take effect. The push rod 46 isprovided with a roller 56 rotatably mounted thereto and slidably abovethe slide 48. The roller is normally in engagement with a guide rail 58formed to impart to the roller and the push rod the necessary transversemovement to cause the plunger to be displaced within the container in apredetermined sequential manner.

In order to avoid a transverse movement of the push rod 46 in thea-bsence of a carton 20, in a receptacle 16, there is provided a switch60, shown only in part, mounted to the guide rail 53 responsive to acarton sensing device (not shown). An angular movement of the switch 60causes the roller 56 of the corresponding push rod to move only parallelto the movement of the conveyor and not transverse thereto.Consequently, the goods contained in the container 22 are not emptedinto the receptacle 16. The goods, in this instance, are then emptiedinto the catch basin 42, as aforedescribed, see point A, and the emptycontainer proceeds again to a filling station which includes scale 24and feeding device 68.

Upon disengagement of the plunger and the push rod at point A, a guiderail 62 engages the plunger 44 by protruding into the space between theplunger 44 and plate 50. The guide rail 62, as all other guide rails, isSecurely fastened to the frame of the machine and extends parallel toconveyor 12 for the distance as shown. The guide rail thus prevents anytransverse movement of the plunger while in engagement therewith.

The plunger mechanism is also formed with two longitudinally extendingslots 64, one on each side wall thereof, which abut pins 66 to limit theoutward movement of the plunger. Particularly, during the horizontalstretch on the lower part of conveyor 12.

The containers 22 are filled, sequentially, by means of an algnment andfeeding device 68 illustrated in FIG- `URES 6 to 8. The feeding deviceis composed of, es-

sentially, a drum 70 mounted about a rotatable shaft 72 with a support74, being interposed therebetween.:.'-I7he `drum 70 is rotated in thedirection as indicated within a stationary housing member 76concentrically arranged and of cylindrical configuration. On one end ofthe shaft .there is secured an external gear 78 meshing With a gearchain drive (not shown) to rotate the drum.

The drum 70 is formed with two chamber 80 arranged radially 180 apartand extending axial-ly all along the drum. The cha m-bers 80 registersimultaneously with two 'openings 82 in cylinder housing 76 once duringeach full 88 rotatably mounted on a cross bar 90 and adapted to follow,together with the cross bar, a cam surface 92.

Securely attached to each cross bar 90, -by means of screws 91, is apiston member 94 which extends from the support and housing structure 86into one of the chambers 80 and is reciprocably disposed therein. Thesecond piston 94 is identically disposed in the other chamber. Eachcross 'bar also receives two longitudinally extending guide rods 96suita bly supported within the drum 70. Finally,

two tension springs 98 are mounted on the cross bar and extend axiallythrough the drum and are Secured to the drum to cause the cam follower88 to operatively engage the cam 92 at all times. The cross bar,including all the parts mounted thereon, is thus a Component part of thedrum and rotates in unison therewith, while the structural support 86 isconnected to the outer housing 76 and is thus stationary. Hence, thepistons within the chamber reciprocate therein following the curve ofthe cam 92.`

In operation, the goods or objects to -be packed are chargedsequentially throughhopper 84 and opening 82 into the chambers 80 whenthe chambers sequentially register therewith. The goods within thechamber are then discharged through the lower opening 82 as shown, whenthe drum has rotated 180. This will then coincide with the presence of acontainer 22 beneath the discharge opening of the drum.

The longitudinal alignment of the goods within the container isfacilitated by arranging, initially, one cam follower 88 at the highestpeak of the cam structure 92, so that the piston within a given chamberis in its most p outward position while the chamber is being filled.Upon the distance between the piston 94 and the end plate 100 isdecreased to a predetermined extent, which is only slightly greater thanthe longitudinal length of the longest object. The pistons are thenmaintained in this position until the good have been discharged from thechamber through the opening 82 and are thereatter brought again to theinitial position as aforedescribed by the joint action of cam 92 and camfollower 88.

The overall operation of this device is as follows. A carton 20 isplaced from stack 18 into the receptacle '16 on first conveyor 10. Ata'bout the time that the given carton is Securely in place, the fillingstation located above conveyor 14 and including measuring device 24 andthe aligning and feeding device '68 have measured or Weighed the goods,longitudinally aligned them and charged the goods into a transverselypositioned container 22. When the container has been completely filled,the roller 40 of the container is engaged by rail 38 which is effectiveto close the container 22. A guide rail 102 causes the carton or box tobe moved against the end opening of the container 22. The push rod 46 onthe third conveyor 14 and more particularly the cou-pling member 52 and54 has in the meantine engaged the couplng member 50` of the 'plunger44. Thereafter, the push rod 46 is caused to be moved transverse to thedirection of travel of the conveyors, moving the plunger against thegoods within the container and utlirnately displacing the goods out ofthe container and into the contiguous carton 20. The push rod 46 incombination with the guide rai-l '58 is adapted to move the plunger pastthe axial center of the container 22 and close to the end opening of thecarton. The guide rail 58 thereafter catches the roller 56 of the pushrod and causes the push rod and plunger to be returned to their initialposition. The carton 20 on the conveyor 10 is transported to an endstation, not shown, and the empty receptacle returns in a continuousfashion on the conveyor again to the carton loading position.

While there have been described What are at present considered to be thepreferred embodiments of this invention, it Will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that vari ous changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the invention, and it is, therefore aimedin the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications asfall within the true spirit and scopo of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine according to claim 4, wherein each of said containershas a top opening; a cover hinged to said container and registering withsaid opening; a spring mounted on said container engaging said cover tonormally maintain the container open; and a stationary rail disposedalong said second endless conveyor means proximate to said containers toengage said cover and close tour of one portion of said guide rail issubstantially parallel to the direction in which said second endlessconveyor means travels and effective to maintain said plunger means inits most outward position, another and contiguous portion of said railextending transverse to said direction and effective to gradually thrustsaid plunger means toward the opposite end of said container, and athird guide rail portion extending again parallel and effective formaintaining said plunger means in the most advanced position. i

4. In a machine for filling cartons with relative thin longitudinallyextending objects comprising: first endless conveyor meanslongitudinally extending and constructed and arranged to receive andmove articles; a plurality of &333396 receptacles for receiving emptycartons spaced longitudinally along and secured to said first conveyormeans; second endless conveyor means disposed substantially parallel tosaid first means, said first and second means being adapted for movingat substantially the same speed and in a common direction; a pluralityof containers carried on said second conveyor means and spacedlongitudinally thereon at substantially the distance as said receptaclesand being aligned therewith transversely to the direction of travel;feeding means adapted and arranged to operate, automatically, in apredetermined sequence with said conveyors, said feeding means beingdisposed, vertically spaced in suitable juxtaposition to said container,said feeding means including a quantity measuring device, piston meansfor longitudinally aligning said objects and means for permitting thedischarge of said objects into said containers in an alignedrelationship; plunger means in each of said containers and movabletherein to push the contents of said container into said carton in apredetermined sequence.

5. In a machine according to claim 4, wherein said means forlongitudinally aligning said objects comprises a housing having intakeand discharge openings; a drum rotatably disposed in said housing havingtwo radially arranged and oppositely located chambers, said intake anddischarge openings being arranged to sequentially register with saidchambers; and piston means axially movable within said chambers to alignlongitudinally the ends of said objects.

6. In a machine according to claim 4, a third endless conveyor meansconstructed and arranged to travel at the same speed and in a commondirection with the two other conveyor means; and a plurality of slidessecurely mounted to said third endless conveyor means and adapted forslidingly receiving said push rod means.

7. In a machine for filling cartons comprising: first endless conveyormeans longitudinally extending and constructed and arranged to receiveand move articles; a plu rality of receptacles for receiving emptycartons spaced longitudinally along and secured to said first conveyormeans; second endless conveyor means disposed substantially parallel tosaid first conveyor means, said first and second conveyor means beingadapted for moving at substantially the same speed and in a commondirection; a plurality of containers carried on said second conveyormeans and spaced longitudinally thereon at substantially the distance assaid receptacles and being aligned therewith transversely to thedirection of travel; feeding means disposed in operative proximity tosaid containers for sequentially filling same; plunger means including athrust body and a first coupling member secured to said body in each ofsaid containers, said plunger means having a cross-sectional areasubstantially the same as the corresponding cross-sectional area of saidcontainer; the plunger means being slidably disposed in said containersfor moving the contents of said container into said carton; thirdendless conveyor means longitudinally extending and disposed parallel tosaid second conveyor means and adapted to travel at the same speed andin a direction common with the two other conveyor means, said thirdconveyor having its ends located substantially intermediate the ends ofsaid second conveyor and diverging therefrom; push rod means movablycarried on said third conveyor means and including a second couplingmember connectable to said first coupling member to link said plungermeans and said push rod means when said container is in a positioncoeXtensive to said third conveyor means, said connection formed by saidfirst and second coupling mernbers including a groove in the peripheryof one of said coupling members extending transversely to the aXis ofsaid plunger, and a projection on the other one of said coupling membersmovable into and out of said groove by movement substantiallyperpendicular relative to said plunger axis, said ,coupling membersbeing effective to engage and disengage when said third conveyordiverges at its respective ends from said second conveyor.

8. In a machine according to claim 7, and a guide rail for engaging saidfirst coupling member of said plunger means when said first and secondcoupling member are disengaged.

9. In a machine according to claim 7, wherein said first coupling memberincludes a plate containing said groove, said plate being spacedlysecured to said thrust body; and said second coupling member includes acollar interposed between said plate and said thrust body abutting saidgroove when said first and second coupling members are engaged.

10. In a machine according to claim 4, wherein said plunger means isprovided with a longitudinally extending slot; and a bolt in one of saidwalls protrudes through the slot to limit the outward movement of saidplunger means.

11. In a machine according to claim 10, and means for actuating saidpiston means, the former comprising a cam in said housing and a camfollower connected to said piston means.

12. A machine according to claim 11, wherein said cam in combinationwith said cam ollower is constructed and arranged to axially displacesaid piston means within said chamber, said piston means being in aposition of minimum disnlacement when a given chamber registers withsaid intake opening and in a position of maximum displaccment when saidgiven chamber registers with said discharge opening.

13. In a machine for filling cartons comprising: first endless conveyormeans longitudinally extending and constructed and arranged to receiveand move articles; a plurality of receptacles for receiving emptycartons spaced longitudinally along and secured to said first conveyormeans; second endless conveyor means disposed substantially arallel tosaid first means, said first and second means being adapted for movingat substantially the same speed and in a common direction; a pluralityof containers carried on said second conveyor means and spacedlongitudinally thereon at substantially the distance as said receptaclesand being aligned therewith transversely to the direction of travel;feeding means disposed in operative proximity to said container, saidfeeding means including a measuring device, and means for longitudinallyaligning said objects and sequentially discharging said objects intosaid containers; said last-named means including a housing having intakeand discharge openings; a drum rotatably disposed in said housing havingtwo radially arranged and oppositely located chambers, said intake anddischarge openings being arranged to sequentially register with saidchambers; and piston means aXially movable within said chambers to alignlongitudinally the ends of said objects; plunger means including athrust body and a first coupling member secured to said body in each ofsaid containers, said plunger means having a cross-sectional areasubstantially the same as the corresponding crosssectional area of saidcontainer; the plunger means being slidably disposed in said containersfor moving the contents of said container into said carton; thirdendless conveyor means longitudinally extending and disposed parallel tosaid second conveyor means and adapted to travel at the same speed andin a direction common with the two other conveyor means; push rod meansmovably carried on said third conveyor means and including a secondcoupling member connectable to said first coupling member to link saidplunger means and said push rod means when said container is in aposition co-extensive to said third conveyor means, and said first andsecond coupling member being constructed and arranged to automaticallydisengage when said container departs from said co-extensive position.

14. For use with a machine for filling cartons, a device for receivinglongitudinally extending objects, aligning and discharging such objects,comprising: a housing having intake and discharge openings; a drumrotatably &333396 disposed in said housing having two radially arrangedand oppositely located chambers, each said chamber having an end wall,said intake and discharge openings being arranged to sequentiallyregister with said chambers; and piston means axially and sequentiallymovable within each of said chambers toward the respective end wallthereof after communication of a given chamber with said intake openingto align longitudnally the ends of said objects.

15. A machine according to claim 4, Wherein the rearward wall of saidcontainer has a vertically extending bottom portion and a slightlyangularly, rearward extending, top portion, the angular portion beinglocated at a point above the cover in closing position, and the top endof the forward wall being curved in the forward direction.

16. A machine according to claim 15, and hinging means Secured to theforward Wall substantially underneath said curved portion and to saidcover, the rotating axis of said hinge means being located proxmate tothe curved end portion but spaced therefrom to provide an axis ofrotation located remote and external from the main body of saidcontainer.

17. In a machine according to claim 15, Wherein said cover in its openposition is contiguous to the said forward wall, and forms together Withsaid last-mentioned wall a substantially continuous surface and incombination with the rearward wall a funnel-like opening.

18. In a machine according to claim 15, Wherein said plunger comprises abody having a conguration complementary to the transverse cross-sectionof said container and being slideably disposed therein, a verticallyextending coupling plate spacedly Secured to said body; push rod meansincluding longitudinally eXtending portions thereof effective todisengageably lock between said body and said plate of said plungermeans for moving the latter in the container transversely to thedirection of travel of said conveyors; and a guide rail disposedcoextensve with said second endless conveyor means; and follower meansconnected to the push rods means and engaging said guide rail totransfer movement imparted thereto by the contour of the guide rail.

19. A device according to claim 14, and means for actuatng said pistonmeans, the formen' means comprising a cam in said housing and camfollower connected to said piston means.

20. A device according to claim 19, wherein said cam in combination withsaid cam follower is constructed and arranged to axially displace saidpiston means within said chambers, said piston means being in a positionof minimum displacement when a given chamber registers with said intakeopening and in a position of maximum displacement When said givenchamber registers with said discharge opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,l80,349 10/1939 DeBack 53-252 X2,631,767 3/1953 Banks 53-252 X 2,644,625 7/ 1953 Currivan 53-2522,779,512 1/1957 Steele et al. 222-307 FOREIGN PATENTS 902,606 8/ 1962Great Britain.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Pr'mary Exam' ner. FRANK E. BAILEY, Examiner. R. J.ALVEY, P. H. POHL, Assistant Examners.

4. IN A MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTONS WITH RELATIVE THIN LONGITUDINALLYEXTENDING OBJECTS COMPRISING: FIRST ENDLESS CONVEYOR MEANSLONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING AND CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO RECEIVE ANDMOVE ARTICLES; A PLURALITY OF RECEPTACLES FOR RECEIVING EMPTY CARTONSSPACED LONGITUDINALLY ALONG AND SECURED TO SAID FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS;SECOND ENDLESS CONVEYOR MEANS DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAIDFIRST MEANS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEANS BEING ADAPTED FOR MOVING ATSUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SPEED AND IN A COMMON DIRECTION; A PLURALITY OFCONTAINERS CARRIED ON SAID SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS AND SPACEDLONGITUDINALLY THEREON AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE DISTANCE AS SAID RECEPTACLESAND BEING ALIGNED THEREWITH TRANSVERSELY TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL;FEEDING MEANS ADAPTED AND ARRANGED TO OPERATE, AUTOMATICALLY, IN APREDETERMINED SEQUENCE WITH SAID CONVEYORS, SAID FEEDING MEANS BEINGDISPOSED, VERTICALLY SPACED IN SUITABLE JUXTAPOSITION TO SAID CONTAINER,SAID FEEDING MEANS INCLUDING A QUANTITY MEASURING DEVICE, PISTON MEANSFOR LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNING SAID OBJECTS AND MEANS FOR PERMITTING THEDISCHARGE OF SAID OBJECTS INTO SAID CONTAINERS IN AN ALIGNEDRELATIONSHIP; PLUNGER MEANS IN EACH OF SAID CONTAINERS AND MOVABLETHEREIN TO PUSH THE CONTENTS OF SAID CONTAINER INTO SAID CARTON IN APREDETERMINED SEQUENCE.
 14. FOR USE WITH A MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTONS,A DEVICE FOR RECEIVING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING OBJECTS, ALIGNING ANDDISCHARGING SUCH OBJECTS, COMPRISING: A HOUSING HAVING INTAKE ANDDISCHARGE OPENINGS; A DRUM ROTATABLY DISPOSED IN SAID HOUSING HAVING TWORADIALLY ARRANGED AND OPPOSITELY LOCATED CHAMBERS, EACH SAID CHAMBERHAVING AN END WALL, SAID INTAKE AND DISCHARGE OPENINGS BEING ARRANGED TOSEQUENTIALLY REGISTER WITH SAID CHAMBERS; AND PISTON MEANS AXIALLY ANDSEQUENTIALLY MOVABLE WITHIN EACH OF SAID CHAMBERS TOWARD THE RESPECTIVEEND WALL THEREOF AFTER COMMUNICATION OF A GIVEN CHAMBER WITH SAID INTAKEOPENING TO ALIGN LONGITUDINALLY THE ENDS OF SAID OBJECTS.